Acclimate
by Verdigurl
Summary: Either she was a hardcase or a one-of-a-kind chump. But she was strange. After all, it's not every day you find a woman walking on the sea floor, as if it was a walk on the beach.
1. Tail Drifter Arc: Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

Song: The Hanging Tree – The Hunger Games Soundtrack

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

**Acclimate**

_[ak-luh-meyt, uh-klahy-mit]_

Verb (used with object), verb (used without object), acclimated, acclimating.

1\. to accustom or become accustomed to a new climate or environment; adapt.

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

It was a strange predicament Addie found herself in. She wasn't the type of person to drink hard liquor, or rather to drink at all, but here she was, drinking her weight in it against a man whose cheeks reddened and voice boomed through the tavern. Her cup was emptied in a matter of seconds, while the brute struggled through his tenth jug. The other sailors, pirates and nobodies made the liveliness of the bar dance through the night. Patiently, after turning the jug upside-down on the table – cue the consecutive cheers – her hands laid flat on her thighs. Her opponent spilled a lot while trying to sip, and rather predictably her collapsed in a drunken state, over the sound of sneering and handles clinking against each-other.

Gracefully – to the amazement of the bartender, who thought that, at least, the woman would be intoxicated – Addie scooped up the bidding money from the counter, hand out wide. Once he handed it over, she pocketed her earnings, and held up the open palm again.

"And the rest of it." She stated, flexing it. Her other hand rested by her side, straight and unwavering. She didn't sway nor stutter. Her stare was strong, and the bartender felt the flood of pressure on his chest, her cold, grey eyes fixated on his sweating face. Bashfully, he gave her the rest of the money, and she left without another word, all eyes following her out the door, the humming of daily cheering pausing for a sweet moment, but then returning.

She was like a cat in the night, walking around unnoticed and silently slipping out of the conscious view of the public. Addie moved through the crowd – tonight seemed to be the host of a spring festival, one so early that the previous winter's snow was slowly melting beneath the feet of the village. She hopped through the back garden of the inn, and climbed through the window to the bedroom they had rented out. And, as usual, the Good Doctor wasn't asleep. He was tinkering with something he had found in the luggage of the couple in the room beside them.

"Master, you should get your rest. We're leaving in a couple of hours. The marines won't be able to keep up with the festival going on. It's the main reason why people come back to this town." She placed the money in the pocket that sat inside her long sleeved crop top, tiredly grunting. Her insides were still processing the heavy amounts of induced alcohol and would be done brewing till at least another hour. "Did you take y-"

"Yes." He told her immediately, not looking up from unscrewing the back of the device. "We're out of spironolactone again."

"Then I will get some." She told him, her back sliding down the wall, until finally stopping when she hit the floor. The sounds of the bar bellow hummed through the floorboards. "And if I can't, I will carry you when your legs fail, and then I will find more than enough."

He turned to her, and placed down the screwdriver. "Go back to sleep, my Dear. Recharge, and then when you're finished, we will depart."

"An hour." Addie promised, closing her eyes. "That's all I need."

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

Addie wasn't her real name, but it was the name that seemed to stick with her, and with whoever had met her in her earlier years. She was indifferent about it sticking, but the Good Doctor was the one to give it to her. They called him doctor, and sometimes she called him master, but she really didn't know his real name – and he didn't ever say it. He hardly mentioned his younger years, or of the times when he traveled the world. He wasn't a man that liked to be in the company of other people, and they were two peas in the same, desolated pod. She bared the name with pride, carrying his troubles with her. He was defiantly aging, but the doctor had some gusto left in him, and wasn't by any means going to go down to the gallows quietly.

She didn't know how far the marines were from them, but back at the bookstore where she worked, they appeared – and in a small town, where everyone is polite, but not respected – and came looking for a white mustache and files upon files of documents in one man's brain.

"I won't let them take you." He promised her, as soon as she had ran back to the bungalow in the mountains, never looking back. The house didn't belong to them, but to the bodies lying underneath the floorboards. He was studying the veins of someone's arm.

So, with linked hands, they ran from the marines, ran from anybody who knew them. The Good doctor didn't really have a lot of people he trusted enough for them _not_ to rat him out, so they stuck together, and every few towns stocked up on medicine and supplies, like food and maps. This path made them cross from one side of the peninsula to the other, and then further to the north, to avoid the marine port. It wasn't a large one, but the master didn't want to risk the chance.

And it soon became apparent that they weren't going to go by foot anymore, because they had hit the water.

_I can't swim…._ She thought, assessing the situation. _Maybe we could pay for a ride to the next island?_

But in reality, as Addie looked at the boats, the doctor had climbed into one of the smaller boats and motioned for her to follow. Her mouth frowned at the ends, and she looked around to see if anyone was watching this.

"Just hurry up and get in!" He ordered in a grumpily voice. There was dunked person at the end of the dock, so she jumped in and steadied the boat while he untied it from the anchor. It was still night when they paddled from the harbor, and she wondered when this would stop.

The running or the rowing?

Nobody knew, or bothered to mention.

* * *

xxx

* * *

Three weeks after stealing the small boat, Addie realized the extremes that the Marines would go through to find someone, if they needed to. The good doctor had quite the nice mugshot on his wanted paper, although he had later added that his previous one looked better. (Granted, it was when his hair wasn't white.) Once they were on shore in Halfmoon bay, the boat had broken, and most of the money that they had was gone. But that was the very least of her concerns. The people around here gave them glances and whispered. And while she didn't have a wanted poster – she didn't even know if the marines knew about her yet – the feeling of terror was reoccurring and she did not like it one bit.

"We should leave quickly. " She told him in a hushed voice into his ear, just as they passed the fruit stand.

He nodded. "We will." He whispered. "As soon as we reach the outskirts, we'll vamoose."

"We might not even have time for that…" Addie admitted, carefully looking over her shoulder. There were covered faces closing in, who had grins and watching eyes. "Quickly!"

Addie grabbed the doctor by the armpits and propelled herself onto one of the three story roofs. Shouting emerged from the alleyways as she jumped from roof to roof, carrying the doctor on her back. Suddenly, to the west of the city, there was a grandiose explosion, located near the naval base.

"What was that?" The doctor asked, eyebrows knitted together. "What odd luck…."

"Just a safety blanket of sorts." Addie said, bracing for another jump. "One that I hadn't hoped to use."

And thus, after clearing the city, Addie kept up the pace, for she didn't want to have any more confrontations with the marines. (It seemed like the billionth time.) But that didn't seem like her hopes were going to work. When they made it to a field of freshly cut stalks, there were already people waiting there. Ones she didn't recognize, but obviously by their clothes, they meant business.

"Halt there!"

Addie held her ground. Beside her, the good doctor hid his shaking behind his coat, eyes squinting. He was shorter in his now elderly years, and getting tired of being followed - to which Addie was as well. Her emotionless face stared down the eyes of the head marine. She didn't know his name - nor did she want to, but with the way he held his hands in his trouser pockets, along with his coat dangling off his shoulders made for an intensely, riveting aura. The Doctor sighed grumpily, and kept to her side, watching him, while Addie kept count of the underlings. There were a lot more than before. Probably because of the explosion.

"Don't try and order me around, you old fart." The Good Doctor chuffed, nodding his head, as if throwing shade to something which Addie didn't understand. Underneath his voice, he muttered something about Vice Admirals, so Addie kept quiet while the throwing of words continued. "Like hell I'm going to do anything you say."

"You're making poor life choices here, Reed." Replied the man. "You shouldn't have run away in the first place, then it wouldn't have turned out like this."

The Doctor snorted. "Whatever choices, they're better than those in you care. Get lost."

The men behind him jeered and in leery glares begun to stiffen. The man's attention fell upon Addie then, who's back straightened. She could feel his eyes forcefully from behind those sunglasses.

"And you've dragged some poor soul into your mess." He shared, sniffing. "Oi, kid. You're standing next to a murderer, ya know?"

"He is my doctor, and I will protect him." She stated, flatly refusing to make any sort of conversation with the man. And though she didn't want to, her replies just happened because he continued to talk. Her fists tightened.

"A Doctor of death." He told her.

"He's the Good Doctor." She corrected. "And you are in our way."

His suit of pinstripes made his stature so much bigger than Addie herself. She was quite tall, and maybe that had been deliberate on the good Doctor's part. So while he was sizing her up, she made the decision to stop him from getting to the doctor at any means. Him and all his men.

"Momonga, you haven't met my new creation, have you?" The Doctor asked the man who now had a name. He had always mentioned to her – _I won't let them have you –_ but it was occurring to her that he never really told anyone what he did. Or if anyone found out in his recent years. She didn't know much of what he did before she was born – Addie was roughly five years old, getting new updates every few often. "She's glorious, I have to say. Blows Vegapunk's shit out of the sea and into the fucking sky." He laughed. "Any _day!_"

_This isn't the time to haggle someone, Master._ Addie sighed inwardly, readying herself. Neither party was getting anywhere and something had, or was about to change. Either way, they had to get out of here quickly before more marines turned up.

"This is what got you fired in the first place." Momonga said, glancing back at Addie, before ultimately staying on the Doctor. "You know experiments on robotics are prohibited unless under safe surveillance."

"But the assholes there wouldn't have gotten _anywhere_, what with Big Brother watching everybody's lunch breaks. Vegapunk got to what, a cyborg? No, no _mine's better._" He gritted his teeth, and then straightened, deciding on something. Addie bent down, her face mechanically morphing, a face guard appearing in its place. Slowly, her hands begun to shimmer, flexing into elongated swords, sharp in their size. Almost as long as her legs, Addie crossed them and then shifted her weight, braced and ready.

"I call her A.D." The Doctor pronounced, as the men behind the main Marine, their faces turned scared, faces frowned and gulped. "But you don't need to know the specifics of her model. Only that your bodies can tell Vegapunk to ram his foot up his own ass."

The response was one of force, something that the Marines – to her – would always take, if they did not agree.

"By the order of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you will not leave here a free man, Reed. You will be captured, tried and executed." Momonga glanced at Addie. "And the experiment will be studied then destroyed.

"No stranger would that be, if I told you that nobody here would leave alive." The Doctor replied. Both men held their glances. But with the doctor being short and this man being daunting, their egos filled up the empty spaces. "Should we see who's right?"

And just like that, their blades clashed.

* * *

xxx

* * *

**Hey there! Welcome to my new story! I've hoped you found it slightly interesting so far. This area is usually where I reply to people and whatnot. Below are story notes. Ciao.**

**Notes:**

\- **Spironolactone is a drug used for heart failure (be that quick or slow heart failure.)**

**\- What does Addie look like? Pretty tall. Short, wavy blond hair. Pupil-less eyes.**

**\- Why is Addie refereed to as A.D? Will be explained later.**


	2. Tail Drifter Arc: Chapter 2

**XXX**

* * *

**Chapter Two:**

Song: Layla – Derek and the Dominos

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

It was like a clap of continuing thunder.

_BANG_ went the blades, and clash did the captain.

The marines who held great pride for their leader watched in absolute awe – or even shock, for some of the big punters. The fighters danced, as if it was rehearsed. Addie ducked as his sword swiped where she stood and, in a small, controlled cartwheel, she backed up, gaining distance between her and the man. In that second, she checked the position of the doctor. He had disappeared from behind her, and climbed up a tree, away from the encroaching marines.

Addie darted away, and as each marine blinked, she appeared, slashing every brother in arms down, and then disappearing, only to go back fighting the vice admiral.

The swords clapped again, Momogna catching the flat side with the back of his hand. He grunted, but then smiled, as he felt her power. "You're pretty slick on your feet, girlie."

"Master always says to slow down when I walk with him." She replied softly from under her visor, blocking his attack. "I walk too fast."

Addie threw his next attack to the left and swooped to her right, continuing to pull the momentum of her attack, faster and faster. Blond hair flicked in time. The captain pulled back, her blade nicking his abdomen. That ripped his suit, a succulent tear of cloth before the seeping of blood.

_LEFT LEFT LEFT LEFT –_ It was only a matter of moments before the blinking voice and alarm in her head signalled, a flaring signal, before the projectile hit. The force catapulted into the nearby trees, breaking several and slowing her down. Her arm, in the process of landing, had been rammed into the ground and as the rest of the body had propelled forward, the transformed arm tore off. Addie surveyed the damage, sparks flying a little. The marines that fired the cannonball saw the visor to them, the woman – or now they realised, something else completely – stepped out of her landing hole.

From Momogna's view, she was gaining steps towards them, and that didn't go with him.

"I will not let you harm any more of my men." He told her sternly, pointing his sword. She listened, but did not reply to his threatening statement. The jarred aura of the wind picked up, and Addie attempted to dislodge it. Seeing that, Momogna threw himself at her, throwing a barrage so that gain any more territory.

His mouth extenuated a, now permanent, frown. One that bore the more she stared at him. Her gaze was strange, to Momogna. She wasn't human – he could feel it all too well. With his haki, he couldn't sense life within her. However it seemed she was able to think for herself. But with the way the stub of her broken arm flickered, her blank eyes locking down on his through the golden glossed visor, her intent was clear. And for him, he feared for those who were not hurt yet.

And just as well. The hurling blade – the one that was just attached to her other arm – without hassle, flicked at the marines in one fowl swoop, the same arm returning to normal. The situation wasn't good. The marines were armed, but only with long barrelled guns. Momogna speculated that they could try and block it with their guns, however, seeing his blade infested with tiny cracks, he was sure that it would slice right through them. His bani katana was made of type two dragon steel - a light but sturdy material that took a while to find on the North blue in his earlier years as a marine.

Momogna was there in an instant, and deflected the hurdling blade and in the process, breaking his own. He knew it was a distraction with the flick of her hand, and it was enough of one for her to sprint and heave the arm out of the ground, the dirt beneath her feet moving as she skidded to a halt. As Momogna helped the small, shaking marine up, he watched as she held the loose limb close to the stub. In a second, bits from both ends seeped together like a liquid metal, before setting into a now hard, flexible arm. There wasn't even a tear to see, and that was quietly daunting. Without his sword, Momogna was becoming agitated.

It wasn't until Addie heard the strangled cry of the good doctor, and looked to see someone holding him by the hair, that Momogna was able to breathe a little more regularly.

"Garp!" He yelled, out of surprise. He hadn't expected his fellow comrade to be in the area, he was sure that the man was in the East Blue, somewhere he always went, for the captain marines around there.

"You let him go." Addie ordered him sternly. Her visor had now disappeared, folding back into the hollow spaces of her head, her face readjusting back into its original position.

Garp's eyes now fell upon her, and Addie made her spine stand straighter. Garp's mouth grinned, and quizzically, Addie was mentally taken aback slightly, her eyes flickering towards Momogna before returning to Garp.

"Imagine my surprise when I come upon land to buy supplies for the boys, and happened across some information about you heading for a fugitive!" Garp's laugh boomed, and the doctor flinched in his grasp. Addie's nose twitched. But suddenly, as quickly as it came, Garp's mood changed, as he looked at the doctor. "But I didn't think it would be you, Reed. The rumour 7rs said that you had disappeared into the Thorlanden woods and was eaten." He glanced at Addie, who glared back. Garp laughed wholeheartedly. "But I can see you've been busy, as usual!"

"Hey._"_ She growled, lurching forward a little. "_Hey!"_

"You'll do good to listen to us." Momogna growled back, the image of the dead marines flashing in his head. "My blade may be broken, but there's enough to chop off his head."

Garp laughed again, breaking Addie's deathly glare. His character seemed out of place, and Addie wasn't completely sure what to make of the man. For sure, the Mohawk man was a blank slate. He cared for his men and was wavering towards out rightly just. Addie gritted her teeth.

"Hahaha! What do you expect Momogna! Trust Reedie to make something to reflect his temper!"

_Run._ The doctor mouthed, painfully.

Addie shook her head firmly. There was no way she was leaving. Not without him. Not for the world.

"Don't move." Momogna told her, coming closer. "You will be taken to impel downs, along with Reed for judgement."

The sea stone cuffs they bound her with didn't affect her, as they did with humans, but she did it for the doctor. She would need more than luck to get out of this pickle now.

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

Their cells of stone faced each other, in the bottom of the ship. She was hung on the wall, strapped and chained. Not trusted to have her hands free. Guards stood outside. She could feel her master's eyes on her, as the ship swayed in time with the waves. She wasn't sure how long they had been at sea. It must have been a week, for the guards only brought the doctor food once a day – you couldn't really call it a meal. It was a glass of water and old bread, most likely from the leftovers of the kitchen crew.

It was the tapping that caught her attention, the one that was hidden under the squeaking of the ship's hull.

"_Why didn't you run away?_" The doctor said, finally. The two were shut down every time one of them spoke, because there was continuous surveillance. But, after a week of it, the pair started to see the old tired signs around this time, at the preceding weeks of a voyage. It wasn't uncommon and the symptoms wouldn't last long. Only for a couple of days. A night, at the least.

"_I could not."_ She replied, honestly. Her hands hung in the air, chained and for a moment, she quietly watched a guard's back. He did not turn. "_I could not leave you with them, knowing that they would kill you."_

"_Regardless, I've always told you to abandon me if they came."_ It was like his voice was growling. Addie hadn't had a chance to burn off all the energy she was collecting by doing nothing here, and her systems were getting unsettled. "_And now, they have a reason to why I disappeared. They know about you, and they're going to take you apart. Vega-bloody-piss will want to, and I don't want that. I can't let him get you. You're worth a lifetime of material."_

They paused in their convo, as people passed through the area to get to some supplies. And as they left, she met the doctor's eyes. His hands were bound too. "_And now we're heading to Impel. Shit."_

"_So what should we do?" _Addie asked, with round eyes. While he was thinking, she wondered how they were going to obtain the next pack of drugs. Addie knew he would need some soon.

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

His stomach was grumbling. Stupidly, Marvin ended up missing lunch because he had to help with all of the injured back onto the ship. He was thankful that it wasn't him that was picked out to help with the fatalities. It was a massacre. They bombing killed about a third of the base crew. Captain Momogna's were injured, some still in shock but alive. Marvin stood by the door, sword in hand, sighing.

"Don't be like that." Daniel said curtly, nodding in understanding. "We've got an hour left till patrol is over. Then you can eat all the meat you want."

"I know." He moaned, looking at his friend with puppy eyes. _"_But I miss Emily's food! I want corn!"

Daniel figured the kid would say that. He was a newlywed, he knew the pain. His boy was missing him and it was the same here. Five more months of the marines, then he could go back for a good long break. Daniel figured that Marvin would stop saying things about food – he was hungry too – if he bought up some of the injuries from the medical bay, when he heard a strange clinking noise from inside the cells. Now the clinking wasn't unusual – it was a ship and you had to bolt down every otherwise you could sustain a concussion from a flying cup. But it was the rhythm of the clinking that caught him. Like it was on purpose. And while Marvin moaned about the rotary chicken that his cute wife made every Sunday, Daniel peeked back.

Since he was standing on the right side of the door, he had a view into the left cell. Inside was woman, restrained, staring into the space in front of her. He guessed she could have been as young as seventeen, and they didn't explain _why_ she nor the old man was in there. All that they were told was when they get back, they would be handed over to another crew and that would be that. He thought about his toddler daughter and frowned, hoping that she wouldn't end up like this teenager.

He turned back.

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

Their plan had been decided, but the right time hadn't come till now. Addie had all this time to listen for the sounds. The crew had stopped somewhere, she didn't know where, but it wasn't for long. And they couldn't risk escaping there – since they didn't know the location, it wasn't worth risking the chance of running into another marine infested town. They had to wait for another day and night for the vessel to be at sea, so that the plan could be done in an area in which if the marines called for help, it would take at least a day for them to get out here. She knew the men out there weren't aware of their status, or that she didn't require sleep, so the night was the best cover for their escape. Outside, it was dark and outside, the guards had fallen asleep.

Like blobs, a thick sludge of liquid metal that were her hands, fell through the handcuffs, not a smidge of it staining the chains. Her limbs reformed and trapping her had been a stroke of luck that fooled the marines into a sense of safeness. This chance, for her, wasn't going to be wasted. Like a sludge, she slipped through the bars with ease, her body not reforming till she went through the second set of bars. Her hand transformed into a dagger and sliced through the chains that were bolted to the wall. His hands weren't free though, she wouldn't be able to slice through them unless she chopped his hand off.

"_Take out the guards out first. Then head to the artillery bay. "_ He whispered, as Addie lock picked the cage, nodding obediently. It wasn't an overly hard lock, but really, that corroded some parts of it. The liquid metal morphed to fit the keyhole, and silently – not a breath in the room – sent the liquefied substance that once were arms around the necks of the marines and down their throats. The only sound on the floor was their arms and legs hitting the floor. She would have been worried about the sounds, but they were on the bottom floor of the ship. They were down in a matter of seconds. Behind her, the doctor appeared.

"_Remember the plan!"_ He told her. "_Stay alive squirt, and I'll meet you on the seas!"_

Addie nodded firmly and lightly on her feet, ran though the floors, up several flights of stairs, hair swishing in time with her strides. The lit lanterns swayed with the boat as she rocked in time with the storm. Addie could hear the storm growing in steps with each boom. Now wasn't the time to worry about the sound of her feet – the crew might as well wake up in this storm.

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

"Sounds like quite the storm Momogna," Borsalino noted, his hand moving the hand held microphone back from his mouth. The Vice Admiral sat leisurely in his soft armchair, watching the rain softly pelt against the office windows. It had been a pretty slow day, and he would head off to bed soon, but he just had to check in on his colleague, after hearing about the circumstance. He almost didn't believe that Reed was still alive, if he hadn't seen the pictures. After a look, his new toy looked more fun than anything else he had seen that week.

Momogna agreed. "Getting home is what I wait for. The sooner we turn them over, the sooner I can sleep easier."

"But the experiment gave up, just like that?"

"We had her master." He replied. "It was a simple solution."

Borsalino nodded. "Well, how was Garp then? I heard his grandson has gone off to be a pirate."

Momogna didn't know that. "Really? Well if he knows, he's not showing it."

"Lord knows the man keeps his cards close."

"You gotta be in this business."

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

The gallery was pretty large. It spanned the length of the ship and had low ceilings, cannons pointing out of the sides. Barrels of gun powder lay in the far end of the boat, next to the sticks that stuffed the cannons and ammo. It was a sudden realization that Addie noticed, that above, she could hear screaming. Her pace picked up, and under the yelling and the loud thudding of hurried footsteps, she was emptying a barrel all over the ground. Her mouth muttered as she did so, going through all the possibility that would meet her when she was finished. A trail of gunpowder followed her footsteps as she quietly blended into the halls, lines of people marching along – a hurried demeanour floating around.

Above deck, around her, the world was ablaze. Some people were on fire, and others were scurrying about, with buckets of seawater – putting out fires, putting out people. One noticed her – she was dressed in a bright yellow raincoat, how could you not – and signalled the others. She couldn't see any sign of Momogna, she knew this was his ship, nor her beloved doctor, who disappeared into the night. Her mind was set on him, but around her, the men began attacking from all sides. Above, the grand sails burned brightly in the night, a beacon floating.

Addie looked at her options, and saw a gap in people at the front of the boat, where the flames burned brightly. And below, the trail of gunpowder catching fire. It would be a few daunting moments before the whole vessel would blow up.

A man, barely over twenty, flung himself at her, and she caught his flying mass, chucking him over. A satisfying splash followed. Her eyes flashed back to the flaming spot again.

_I can't swim,_ she mused. _But I don't have to breathe either…._

As if a timed blinking lit up the sky in a fiery red, the only things to see from a bird's eye view was the shadow of a sprinting silhouette. Addie, in a burning glory, jumped into the ocean and disappeared in a blitz of bubbles.

Unbeknownst to her, the grand, tall mast snapped and splashed into the midnight sea with a mighty echo. But in an empty sea, those who saw it were the old ones to hear it.

* * *

**XXX**

* * *

**Hi there again! It's so nice to see some interest in this story which I wrote. It actually took me a while to get through this because usually I like to do it in one sitting but due to working more days than I actually have off (plus, I couldn't miss nitro circus…), I've had to do it in parts. Strange experience, but not an unfruitful one.**

**Replies:**

**Batmanswim2016:** Thank you, that's so kind to say! I try to be careful when writing. About the 'My life is a teenage robot' comment, I haven't seen that show in _ages_, but from what I can remember – which it terribly limited – I do see a likeness. I actually smiled when I read your comment. So I hope you stay around for more chapters!

**L'ceil:** Aha, lol! I wondered for a while what you meant, but I eventually got there

**Notes:**

**Why don't the sea stones affect her?** She was not human in the first place, nor has there been any devil fruit to do with her existence. More will be explained later.

**Why couldn't the guards hear them talking? **There was clinking. So, under speculation, a type of code.

**So it seems like Vegapunk and the Doctor have a past. **Yes.


	3. Tail Drifter Arc: Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Song: Lorde – Glory and Gore

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

Many, many, many fish were here. Addie never learned to swim, or really, took a dip into a deep puddle of water. The swinging swooning of the repetitive waves was almost non-existent where she walked. Her feet sunk slightly into the wet sand, which had little dunes of rocks rise and dip. Some potholes became a thick, swallowing black that Addie didn't want to look in. The unknown was something she didn't understand, and not understanding things was not so much infuriating as it was upsetting. Like if your path was hit with a hard wall, logic defies that you cannot simply go straight through. (Not to the normal human, anyway.)

They didn't come near her, as she walked on the seabed. Soon, she would have to rest – above water, but she hadn't detected any rising land ahead that would peak high enough. But it wasn't as dark as it had been in the past. So, by deduction, it was probably daytime, most likely beginning to become dark again. Visibility was horrid down here, and the salt really wasn't doing her any favours. More than anything it was slowing her down. Her ears were clogged up and the only thing she became curious of below the surface was the rising amount of bubbles, climbing impatiently.

_Why are they going?_ She mused, tilting her head upwards, and eventually, her curiosity roped her in, Addie swimming to the surface. The swimming itself took more effort than she had thought previously. Mind you, she _had_ sunk - to what was assumed to be _a_ floor and most certainly _not_ the bottom of the ocean. The water flitted everywhere as Addie swung her hair out of her face. Night time was approaching, but in the distance, the outline of an island stood tall to the west of her – the shadow of a pointed cone towering over the near-surrounding ocean.

"Wow." Addie whispered, watching the grandiose, earthly creation while quietly bobbing up and down, with only the sound of the waves to complement her thinking. "A volcano….."

It was a small island that hosted the volcano, with a population of around two thousand residents, all scattered around the island. But mainly, the families and consumerism of the island was clustered on the North side. The inn-keeper told her that they don't get many tourists, nor marines around this area. So she was welcome to the bar and pub below, where they had dancing and a television set. It was a close knit atmosphere, and she got asked many questions that night, and produced a few of her own in the process of watching the reports from the naval channel. In the background, an upbeat love song played, and a few couples danced. A lady's dress swished pass Addie, as she watched the television with a mug of beer.

"_And the night is still young John," _said the woman presenter, who was standing out in the dark, among hundreds of people. "_It's hoped that this year, the a –"_

Suddenly, red flares shot up into the sky and exploded into a million tiny sparks, littering the sky with their glow. The presenter smiled, and some of the older men in the bar cheered and clapped. The presenter looked over her shoulder, and then back at the camera.

"_And it seems the New Year celebrations have started! Wow that was a surprise!"_

The television cut to a man with blond hair, somebody who was dressed a little nicer than the average man, who laughed along with his co-worker, hitting a stack of paper against the table which he sat at in an attempt to keep them neat. "_And as usual, the residence of the Western Blue will start the year of with a great bang. Now, we will catch up with Cindy later, but for now, back to the news. The reconstruction of the Naval base at port Suncast, on the island of Mauve, has finally come to a close, and the new facility will be in use as soon as possible, says Admiral Kizaru. Here at channel eight, we wish the best for the new facility."_

"_Now for a bittersweet announcement, forty-nine men have been confirmed dead from an explosion on the Mary Cradle, as she was carrying dangerous cargo, accompanied by the Mary Celeste, her sister ship. The explosion destroyed the ship and a day of mourning has begun as the bodies are now, as we speak, returning to the naval base." _The presenter, _John_, she remembered his name, paused to clear his throat. _"The incident has been linked to the explosion at Newman's naval base, which killed twenty-seven and injured several more. Vice Admiral Momonga has reported to escape the explosion with minor wounds, and that the suspect is in custody. We await further details on this, and here at channel eight, we will be updating on the hour, every hour."_

Addie frowned, her attention dropping from the tv's words. She cursed herself, letting Momonga live. Thinking she must have missed one of the major arteries, Addie watched his picture on the screen, waving to the crowd. They purposely didn't mention the name of the doctor, but of course it was him. So why didn't they mention her? Did they want to lessen the panic amongst their people, or did they think she was _dead?_ The questions on her mind stayed for the rest of the night.

_What are they thinking?_ She wondered, slightly confused, but mostly curious, Addie hanging up her coat in the rented bedroom. _I need more answers._

To her, it was apparent that either way, the marines were more aware of what the Good Doctor was capable of. This would lead to forms of torture, interrogation, starvation, the Impel prison…

Stopping would almost mean death. Now was the time to pop out of the spotlight, and find the Good Doctor. She was running out of time, for him and for herself.

The second, long distance walk beneath the surface was more planned. The supplies that she brought with her was mainly liquid, again the food side would prove to be a bit difficult underneath the sea, and some climbing supplies. Remembering the bubbles that were floating upwards, Addie remembered stories about the minerals the Doctor liked to look at. He said some of them would be worth so much, and money was something she needed. To get to the next town, to get supplies, to get information. There were other ways to get these things, yes, but attention to one's self wasn't what she needed right now. For the doctor's sake, until she could get to him, she needed to lay low. If they knew she was coming, they would hurry themselves up, and kill him.

But, really, this was such a stupid idea, even if the money would be lots. The one thing she didn't bring with her was a torch. The batteries wouldn't work down here, and even if they did, Addie had to _find _it first, in her backpack. This darkness was engulfing, and Addie didn't know if she could feel fear, but the others that were down here, you couldn't see them until they were three inches from your face.

And ironically, like one of the great swimming hunters, she almost swam into a pod of humans, strangely enough. They were there, but she couldn't see them, and vice versa. If her detection software didn't spot them, she would've swam right into them. The doctor had taught her that almost always in pitch darkness, if you didn't give yourself away, you would have an advantage. But in the flick of an eye, in pitch darkness, a circle of light hit her brightly. It came from a large vessel, and the beam of light reflected onto several of the rummaging individuals. The closest one wore a helmet over his head – _And an air pressured body suit, _Addie thought to herself. Inside his helmet, his mouth gaped open and her best guess was that he was screaming, or yelling, but down here most sound was blocked out.

Her head turned, blond hair flicking slowly as she looked at the yellow submarine.

_I have to get rid of that light._ Her mind told her. _It's a start, for disappearing in the immediate vicinity. The-_

Before she could even finish thinking about her on-the-spot plan, mechanical arms came out of opening flaps in the submarine, and clamped tightly around her arms. Addie cursed about the sea, thinking she would've been out of the trap. It slowed her down, and this was not good at all. She couldn't risk separating from her limbs and have her insides flooded, that would kill her, surely.

The same man who had screamed was present with a group of sailors, who were taking their helmets off. She could see their shoes and legs.

"_Captain….a few…how in god's n…_" While her systems were rebooting, ridding themselves of the excess water, Addie could only catch glimpses of what they were saying. The arms still held her tightly, all four limbs spread out wide. The robot hadn't thought to buy clothes, so the yellow rain jacket hug on her body, dripping. The hood fell over her eyes, some blond hair escaping, also dripping.

Addie flinched as somebody came dangerously close to her. Bright orange filled her vision, and she wanted out. Take them by surprise, and you'll have the pleasure of dancing on your feet. That quote came from a manual she had read while the doctor was buying a book, and the choices she went through weren't many. And knowing that they were probably just as quick, Addie's right foot went through the restraint and hit hard in the face of the hu- _polar bear?!_

All of her limbs reattached as her body rotated, landing gracefully, coat flicking in the air. The vessel rocked violently as the bear rom the kick. Her surprise was momentary, as her attention whizzed back to the encroaching seamates, some running from the room to get help. Instinctively, Addie backed up as far as she could, till she hit the wall, palms flat.

The bear, who was now standing up, motioned his hands in a calm-down gesture, to which she did not acknowledge. Her hand transformed into a sword, and threateningly, she held it to the ground.

"Don't come closer." She firmly said. "I'll pierce the ground and flood the place."

Surprisingly, the bear bowed. "I'm sorry."

Addie blinked, "Is what you're doing normal for a bear such as yourself? Do you come from a clan of talking polar bears?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He continued, bowing with each sorry.

"Why are you apologising?"

"_I'm SO-RREEE!"_

"Apology dismissed." Addie stated, slightly confused. The bear's acclimatising apologies were uncommon to what Addie had experienced. This bear…..this bear, despite a cesspool of biological information, was an additional threat. Being in a tight, enclosed space was constricting. "I demand you let me go."

Behind the watching crowd that formed, someone slipped in, their sword clinked against each stride he made. Addie's eyes, gazed up to meet him, her hood still on. The bear turned, and yelped "Capt'n!"

The crowd parted.

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

**Hey there guys! Verdigurl here. . My apologies for the lateness of this chapter. I had been in the middle of moving and had to get myself a modem and with work I haven't had too much time. But regardless, I'm still here. Yay! Anywho, thanks for reading again. Leave a review and maybe some predictions. I'm open to suggestions, though in my head and computer I'm aware of the direction this story is heading.**

**Replies:**

**Batmanswim2016 – **My thanks, as usual! I can't wait for you to read more!

**Dumti – **Yeah, you're close, but there is a difference within the initials for her abilities. Thank you. I take pride in the way that I write – or in this case, typing – because it was one of the better things I was excited about in High School. Thanks for reviewing!

**Zecrea – **Yes, I can agree with you on the first point. But again, thank you. Every time someone says that I'm like "yeah, I wanna write more!" kind of in a Naruto enthusiasm.

**Notes:**

**You would probably die from the pressurisation of the water if you went down there without any sort of protection. Free-diving can only take you so far, at the best from 150 metres to 160+. And even then, your body goes through a gruelling preparation beforehand. So, in saying that the way she was captures was a reasonable response, to find what looks like a person would be a shock.**

**My schedule consists of working nights and weekends, school during the day so I don't have much time in between. However, reviews defiantly motivate me so so much. So if you feel I'm not uploading quickly enough, or consistently enough, tell me. I'm a level-headed person first and foremost. I won't get angry at critical comments, but I am 95% full of sass.**

**Bepo has to be one of my favourite characters from One Piece. I see a lot of my actions in him. I'm a cronic apologiser. **


	4. Tail Drifter Arc: Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Song: Elan – Nightwish

"_Freefall awaits the brave."_

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

Bepo was a kind soul of a bear, though being a little ditsy, knew when a situation was getting out of hand. Being a bear, Bepo didn't attend the scavenging hunt himself, per say, but stood inside the doc bay and listened while the rest of his crewmates were searching for the black and purple ore. It was his job, after all, to watch over them as his captain slept. They were going into the third hour now, and the crew had earthed about three kilograms of the stuff. Not much, but worth a lot if they could find the right buyer.

The scream was crackling over the radio, and Emna – one of the technicians - swivelled around in his chair and pressed the button which was hooked up to the radio in their swimsuits.

"Shachi?" Emna called, pausing, then calling his name again. "Shachi, are you there? What's going on?"

"What in the…." From the other side of the room, Penguin sat at the console, looking directly at the televised projection in side camera six. A blinking red light had been set off on the attack beacon. It was going slowly, which confused the man and thinking that it may have been a smaller submarine, or at worst, a drifting sea mine, he flicked the light on.

On the camera, in the light, the murky water held back some vision, but it was clear near the bottom. Penguin, through the white specks and surrounding darkness spotted two, unclothed legs, floating. A lump clotted his throat, as he tilted the torch upwards. Two, red eyes reflected in the dark, amongst a mop of hair. There were no chains to tie it down, or how it – _a human,_ he thought – could end up down here. No signs of dumping or blood, or even decomposition. And it _moved._

"What the fuck!" Emna yelled. "Guys, get out of there!"

"Oh dear…" Bepo muttered, a hand finding its way to his face. Penguin was slightly more composed, and his mind went onto autopilot, once the sentence formed in his head _– 'The Captain would want to see this…'_

The submarine was made by the majority of the crew, and was equipped with a lot of useful equipment. One, which Penguin had to reach underneath the console to pull out the steering system so that it could lock into place, was a set of mechanical arms, one out of four they had on deck. Technically, only he and Shachi were only allowed to operate them, after an incident involving one of the lesser experienced engineers almost ran them onto the reef-floor, not too far from a naval base. Not something that Captain Trafalgar was happy about.

One by one, the green set of lights turned off above on the console, signalling that the hatches were closed. His friends were returning, and he silently hoped that all of them would make it back.

All three of the occupants within the room left to go to the lower cargo hold, Penguin leaving arms locked. They were one of the last people to get down there. Above, the fluorescent lights flickered

_**Drip.**_

Murmurs arose, as the hood twitched. Seawater dripped onto the cold floor, into a puddle underneath the hanging figure. The limbs were bound by metal clamps, hanging limply. Penguin wasn't sure if he was still alive, or how he got down here. A drowning, maybe?

Shachi breathed in heavily, licking his lips, gulping. He hung his helmet on the hook, and stretched his arms. The ones who weren't in the water at the time, stayed back.

"Someone's gone to get the Captain." Emna told him, thanking his stars. "Knowing him, it'll take a couple of minutes for him to fully wake up."

"I couldn't believe it," he whispered. "I thought I was imagining things, you know, the pressure getting to me. How in god's….."

"We don't know yet." Penguin told him, trying to calm the man down. "That's why we called the C- _Bepo!"_

"What?" The bear asked innocently, turning to his friend. "I thought I-"

The words couldn't come quick enough. Bepo didn't get to finish his sentence, nor his breath. Seemingly, out of nowhere, one of the legs swiftly thwacked him hard. The force sent Bepo flying into the wall of the ship, causing everybody to stumble, as they attempted to stay standing. Penguin, who watched the whole thing, gawked as the figure seemingly _slipped right through_ the clamps. At that moment, his hands shook. His chest swelled. No, no that wasn't possible. Not for a normal person. Was this a Devil fruit power?

"Don't come closer." The figure said firmly, point a sword – '_A sword?!'_ Shachi thought. _'Where the hell did that come from?!'_ – to the ground, twisting the blade into the ground. "I'll pierce the ground and flood the place."

A girl. A _girl._ Shachi blinked. A _GIRL?!_ The hood hadn't fallen, but blond strands of hair fell through, and she stood hunched, but yet waiting, as if she expected them to attack her. That was an option, of course, but Shachi didn't want things to get out of hand. It was a mutual feeling. Bepo picked himself up, and peacefully spoke, with hands in the air.

"I'm sorry." He said quickly, bowing. Penguin sighed silently.

The gesture took the girl by surprise. Her spine straightened slightly, but the sword remained. To which it made Penguin ponder. He could see her other hand, perfectly hanging out of the sleeve while the other wasn't there, and replaced with the sword, which poked out of the sleeve. Did she have an amputation?

"Is what you're doing normal for a bear such as yourself? Do you come from a clan of talking polar bears?" She questioned, interested. But the dame kept her distance.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Bepo spluttered, bowing repetitively.

Shachi saw pursed lips, drawing out the first word. "Why are you apologising?"

"_I'M SO-REEEE!_" Bepo screeched. The second hand embarrassment that fell upon penguin was uncomfortable.

"Apology dismissed." The girl told him. "I demand you let me go."

Bepo turned, hearing the automatic door slide open. "Capt'n!"

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

When Law reached for his hat, after one of the mechanics nervously woke him up, he had the feeling unknown nervousness. All that was said that while the crew went to mine, they'd come across something unidentifiable and brought it on board. He wanted to smack Penguin over the head, but Law really had no choice. The trip from his room to the cargo bay took ten minutes. Once arriving at the hallway that led to the room, he saw the crowd, and sighed, making his way through everybody, as they tried to make room for him.

At the forefront of all the commotion, was a figure in a raincoat, equipped with a sword, talking with Bepo. Aside, the others looked on cautiously, while everyone now acknowledged the presence of their leader.

"Bepo." Law spoke, breathing through his nose. "Step back."

"Pity." The figure stated. "I hope to converse again with you, someday."

It was her voice which got him. That indicated that she wasn't what their eyes saw. The natural hum of the human voice was something he was familiar with; seeing that he'd taken apart quite a few, and repaired more. It was like it was layered. Not, _normal._

"And you. You stay right there. Any attempt to attack or escape will end in your death, got it?"

The mouth flatlined, and something about the way her face stopped him in his tracks. She wasn't even breathing.

"I have a right to defend myself." She stated. "I did nothing to deserve being captured like this. I will behave, but if you attack me, I will not lounge around." The girl turned to face Bepo. "Ah, so Bepo is your name. Did you name yourself?"

"You little twat!" Law grunted. "Don't dismiss me so quickly!"

"Oi!" Jean yelled, obviously offended at her lack of respect. "Don't ignore the captian!"

And she did just that. Well, up until Jean tried to rip her shoulder out from the socket. Away from the bear she stood, now defending herself.

"I was about to obtain interesting data modules from Mr Bepo here, a creature I find more interesting that you." Addie lifted her head a little, and Jean Paul could see more of her face. A blank slate, one that stayed put while her voice suggested otherwise. "My apologies Bepo, but maybe we shall continue this conversation one day."

And with the end of that sentence, the girl jumped back, and swung her guillotine hand. Blocked her blade was, by the captain's own.

"Get the tranquilizer!" Someone yelled. Jean Paul backed away.

"Don't be stupid." Law told her, his hand vibrating with jolts of strength. The two blades were equal. "You flood the ship, you won't only be risking our lives, you'll end up killing yourself. The amount of pressured water will kill in an instant."

"You must be mistaken." She replied, blocking another wave of pressure from the clashing swords. "You make the misconception that I require air to survive."

"Boss!" Shachi yelled, as they continued fighting. The claim seemed fucking impossible, unless she'd eaten some sort of devil fruit that controlled water. Ludacris. No record of it had been written. It just didn't make any sense. "She wasn't wearing anything when I looked!"

_What?_ Law thought, as if a murmur. _How is she even functioning?!_

A sigh escaped her lips.

"I can see when a situation is unfavourable, Mr whatever your name is." The girl gestured with her free hand to the crowd. "These men are yours, yes? And there is only one of me."

(Penguin, silent in the crowd, noted that the sword was gone. Into thin air.)

Bepo watched as his closest friend thought the situation through thoroughly. With a nod of the head, he signalled at the crew. "All of you, out. Bepo, take the girl to the holding cells. We need to isolate her until I can perform a check-up."

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

It was terribly dark in the belly of the sub. She could hear the engine directly below her, whirring away, swishing in time with the current. One might be lulled by the droning noise, but Addie was already at full power within the last couple of hours. She sat on the floor, behind bars _again_ and tilted her head back so she could stare at the ceiling. Arms bound, willingly though. She could slip through, but for now, she needed some quiet. Laying low was her goal now, until she could find _the _mechanic. She needed repairing, or rather her symbiont neurons. You'd think that the completion of an experiment like her meant that it would be okay, that she would be okay. But there was no clear sailing for her existence. Days were riddled with things to work on, to improve on. That was what her life was about, and if she were to be captured by the marines, they would mess with the process. They would tinker.

_Find him. _

For now, the Good Doctor was missing. She just had to play through the days now.

_Find him._

At first, she heard the door creek open, and the footsteps. He had a torch – she didn't see him, but you could tell it was a man with the way he carried his weight on each foot – and she felt the beam on her face, and his jumping squeal. Addie let her legs stretch out from the curled up position.

"W-W-Where's your face?!" He spluttered, the torch shaking. She could see him now, as she blinked calmly.

"I don't have anyone to talk to here. It's cold, and it's dark. So why should I keep up appearances?" Addie's face melted together, and in his other hand, she could see him holding a food tray. "You're bringing me food?"

"Yeah, I mean, not without something in exchange!" He said quickly, before breathing out to calm himself. What a nervous meatsuit. "The Captain wishes to speak with you."

The seafarer put the tray at the foot of the barred cell. "Nicely." He muttered to himself. His lilac hair covered his nervous eyes.

The food smelt awful.

"Give me some liquid, like juice, or even beer." She told him, leaning back again. "And then I will speak with your Captain."

From where he stood, white teeth could be seen from under the hood. It made him shiver. Her voice gave fear into his stomach.

"Nicely." She mocked.

* * *

**xxx**

* * *

**Howdy guys, here's the new chapter! I don't have much to talk about right now. But anywho, here's your chapter! I had to write it in between translations.**

**Replies:**

**BatmanSwim2016: **I have to agree ;) Thanks for always reviewing!

**Kate: **I feel the same, so I may do the same, but that will happen later.

**Z0mbieMart: **(In a totally random thought, when I first read your name, I immediately thought of a zombie getting groceries under supermarket music, pushing a trolley along.) OMG NO YOU ARE Thanks for reviewing!

**Nyasaruaru: **IDK. I feel that always happens though with stories that are starting out, that you wouldn't get a lot of reviews. I have a very dry humour, as I've been told, so I think that feeling and some of her reactions come from that. HERE IS MOAR. LOVE YA.

**Notes: (accompanied random facts.):**

**It's actually unconfirmed to whether or not Bepo is a Polar Bear or really just a normal bear, but for the sake of the story, I am classifying him as a PB. **

"**Duff" is the decaying organic matter found on the forest floor.**

**Dartboards are made out of horse hair.**

**Banging your head against the wall spends 150 calories an hour.**

**Children grow faster in the springtime.**


End file.
